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Our membership represents the very best of local business. Our vetting process is thorough; each member must come highly recommended, and remain so by delivering continually outstanding work for members, their contacts, clients and friends.

View Essex Business Forum Members

Our membership represents the very best of local business. Our vetting process is thorough; each member must come highly recommended, and remain so by delivering continually outstanding work for members, their contacts, clients and friends.

Brentwood Business networking blog from Essex Business Forum 30th Jan

Chairman’s Blog Thursday 30th January 2014.

22 present with 2 guests Roger Froment from Circle Services Group for the second week running and Jay French who provides Concierge Services.

David Plumley was suitably topical by referring to the current water logged state of the Somerset Levels as being a symptom of neglect and that similarly we should make sure that we do not similarly neglect our businesses by failing to attend our customers, attend EBF meetings and generally be diligent in looking after our interests. Which sort of followed on from Terry Maylin’s Ed Slot last week that pointed out that failure to attend meetings, not only means you will not give any referrals but also you will not receive any. A message worth repeating .

The 60 second round was lively and positive, Neil Lewer talked amongst other things about “off the shelf” kitchens. The concept of “off the shelf” items containing shelves themselves could have been puzzling to the casual observer.

Mike Rogers declared that he had been a Mortgage Broker for 25 years. Such a declaration, really emphasised the appropriateness of his title “old Curmudgeon” For all that he had not lost his enthusiasm. He positively gloried in low interest rates, as low as 1.79% per annum and on 5 year fixed deals 2,79% per annum. It was at this stage that his watch broke and as bellman he made up the rest as the 60 second round progressed.

Michael Adelizzi had a prop “orange stuff”. It sits on floors, particularly floor boards and you can put anything on it. Anybody got any ideas of other things that sit on floor boards and you can put anything on them. You know where the comments section is at the end of this Blog.

David Plumley also had a prop, 2 props in fact. The first was a hard drive, the other was a hard hammer. He applied the later to the former and declared the hard drive dead. I think the point was, that you should employ him to keep your hard drive alive as it can die of other things than the hammer blow.

Nick Cooke produced a homage to Pete Seager by describing houses that he had been surveying as “little boxes”. What with the absence of spectacles but the continuation of his beard this wide eyed hippy was a suitable apologist for said Pete Seager, even down to the “Ticky Tacky”

Shortly afterwards Howard Bullock rose to his feet sporting a rather racy set of black braces. He could have been an all in wrestler, he could have been Dick Van Dike in Mary Poppins, but no, he was Howard Bullock and he broke the illusion by referring to a reduction in some sort of Tax Exemption. Talk about bursting a bubble…

Graham Thurston was next up and declared that he had “done” a Spanish Bank. Apparently this was difficult because the furniture weighed a ton but it was probably easier than his later declaration that he had ”done” a lady in America. Are there no limits to this man’s talents.

Because I know he will be disappointed if I don’t mention him, Richard Read was flogging 3 nights in New York , 5 nights in Vegas and 5 nights in Dubai. If you ran them into one it almost gives you a fortnights holiday but with a lot of flying in-between.

Kevin Brooks explained how he failed to get rid of a mouse, or was it mice, and had we any suggestions. I suggest David Plumley who is into all things IT.

A hush fell over the proceedings when Alan Shaw rose to his feet because he was only 3 steps away from being top of the list. I was able to confirm to everyone that he arrived at 6.08 and was looking decidingly perky for it.

Brian Painter spared us all the details of death by cancer through smoking but told of a lady who had a phobia for needles which was finally cured and enabled her to have an operation and presumably take up serious heroin addiction if she chose so to do.

Paul Booth is looking for clients with moustaches. The only reason he is doing so is that he doesn’t have any at the moment.

Earlier in the round I had introduced Kevin Radford simply by his formal title, “Bard of Hadleigh”. He did not disappoint, a 60 second ditty tripped off his tongue and suddenly everything seemed to be all right with the world. Graham Wright certainly thought so and promptly awarded him the Oscar.

It was Graham Wright who was blessed with the 10 minute slot. Hair swept back, well washed and looking like he had been turned out by his mum, he ignored the notes that he had left behind at home and delivered a very useful 10 minutes giving details of the products that he was now looking to sell. I was not able to catch Paul Booths eye but Paul should note that Graham was supporting a moustache… an opportunity for you there Paul.

Graham hung around and did the running for the referrals and testimonials but not before he had earlier caused David Plumley to produce the quote of the meeting in introducing him as”…not only a man with a van but willing to put fuel in it”.

Not only were the attendance numbers up but so were the numbers relating to the referrals section. There were 32 referrals and £33,000.00 worth of business passed

The whole meeting was very upbeat but tinged with more than a little sadness. Graham Thurston announced that this was to be his last meeting; forced to leave our group through illness, his own and his families. We are always sad to lose good members and Graham has been more than a good member. We wish you and your family well, Graham.

It simply remains for me to comment on the introduction that Scott gave the visitor drive and remind you all that the visitors breakfast meeting is on the 6th March 2014. Get in touch with your team leaders and get the process moving.

6 Comments

Excellent lively meeting – agree with David sad to see Graham Thurston go he was a really good example of how to make EBF work for you and until we get another carpet supplier I will continue to recommend him with confidence which says a lot for the goodwill he earned in the group.

So, let me get this straight, what we are ALL looking for is a mouse (obviously with a moustach) that has a penchant for orange but a fear of needles who is in need of an improved back up system for his business PC, a new accountant, book keeper and a better pension plan who is looking to move into a new home that isn’t actually new but in need of an extension & a refurb. (esp. the Kitchen & bathroom) who will require a cheap mortgage, a valentines gift for his wife and then a holiday to recover from the stress of it all. Yes?

Essex Business Forum is an association of professional business people and owners of established and reputable SMEs based in Essex which represents every trade and profession, and with the addition of an extended network of businesses in highly specialist fields.

We run weekly business networking groups every Thursday morning in Brentwood, plus other regular events and networking meetings.

We're always looking for new members to join, so if you are interested then come along to one of our meetings.